Gathering feed device.



G. E. MOLYNEUX & G. S. GATCHELL.

GATHERING FEED DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 1912.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

ATTORNEY G. E. MOLYNEUX & G. S GATCHELL. GATHERING FEED DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FIL ED JULY 3, i912- 1,238,174.

WITNESSES.-

Patented ug. 28, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r mirnn srarns ra'rnnr opinion.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX, OE BAYONNE, AND GEORGE GATCHELL, OF ROSELLE PARK, NEW JERSEY ASSIGNORS TO THE SINGER MAN FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

AT RING FEED DEVIQ eeann.

Application filed July 3, 1912. SerialNo. 707,455.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. MoLY- NEUX and GEORGE S. GATcnELL, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, and Roselle Park, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gathering Feed Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to provide a feeding device capable of gathering or fulling the work in its advance to the stitch-forming mechanism when desired and adapted for embodiment in sewing machines of various types and particularly in cylinder-bed machines in which the direction of feed is lengthwise of the work-supporting bed.

In its preferred form, the present invention comprises a four-motion feeding mechanism including the usual feed-dog cooperating with which is a work-stripper disposed adjacent and at the side of the same and extending through a portion of its length at the advance end thereof, means being provided for lifting the stripper above the serrated operative face of the feed-dog during a portion of the advance or feeding movement of the same and for lowering it thereafter to enable the feed-dog to bodily feed the work a stitch-length after the pre liminary fulling action in advance of the stripper. I

According to the present improvement,

the work is subjectcd to no drag whatever,

in opposition to the action of the feeddog,

other than that ordinarily imposed by the presser-foot, but at first a portion and then the whole of the material directly above the feed-dog is subjected to its unobstructed action so as to propel the work freely in its movement relatively to the stitch-forming mechanism.

T he term strippefi is used herein to designate a member or device adapted to force or hold the work out of normal engagement with the feed-dog while the latter performs its work-advancing movements.

The work-stripping device is preferably controlled in its period of action, and in greater or less degree in its extent of action in each feeding cycle, by means connected Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

In the employment of a single feed-dog for producing successively both fulling and bodily advance movements of the work, variations in the relative durations of such actions with a given stroke of the feed-dog produce corresponding variations in the stitch lengths by reason of the shortening or lengthening of the bodily movements of the work caused by different degrees of fullness produced therein. According to the pres.- .ent invention, in its preferred embodiment, a feed-regulating device is operatively con,- nected with the stripper controller whereby the throwing in or out of operation of the stripper or variation of its action relatively to the feeding mechanism causes a corresponding and proportionate variation in the feeding stroke of the feed-clog so as to produce a substantially uniform advance of the cylinder-bed doublechain-stitch machine embodying the present improvements and corresponding in general constructive featurestvith that disclosed in the patents to George E. Molyneux, No. 1,111,167, dated September 24,1914, and No. 1,097,346, dated May 1 9, 1914. Fig. 8 is a perspective view representing the feeding mechanism and the work-stripping device with its controlling means and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the feed-rocker arms. Fig. 4 is a front end view, partly in section, of the presser-foot, feed-dog and stripper, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, representing the action of the feed-dog and stripper upon a section of work interposed between the same and the two-part presserfoot opposed thereto. Fig. 6 is a perspective view representing in section the forward end of the cylinder-bed and a part of the work-stripping means. Figs. 7 and 8 represent respectively in sectional end view and side view a part of the stripper-controlling device. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the feed-dog and its carrier with a member of the stripper-operating device.

The frame of the machine is shown con structed with the hollow base 1 from which rises the standard 2 and from which extends laterally the cylinder-bed or work-supporting horn 3 beneath the hollow bracket-arm 4 extending from the standard 2. The base is provided at the rear end with a bearing boss 5 containing a bushing G in which is journaled the rearward end of the mainshaft 7 fitted within a bearing member 8 formed upon the rearward end of the horn 3 and having a reduced portion 9 journaled in a bearing boss 10 intermediate the ends of the horn 3.

Suitably journaled within the bracket-arm is the needle-actuating rock-shaft 11 having at its forward end the crank-arm 12 connected by means of the pitman 13 with the collar 1 1 fixed upon the needle-bar 15 car rying needles 16. The rock-shaft 11 has upon its rearward end the lateral crank-arm 17 connected by means of the pitman 18 with the actuating crank 19 formed in the main-shaft 7.

The rock-shaft 11 has also fixed upon its rearward end portion the lateral crank-arm 20 communicating; by means of the pitmanrod 21 through suitable connections oscillating movements to the looper-snpporting rock-shaft 22 journaled within the horn 3 above the main-shaft 9 and having pivotally mounted thereon the tilting looper-carrier 23 sustaining the looper 2 which cooperates with the needles 16 in the production of stitches. The looper-carrier has a pivotal and sliding connection with a stud 25 carried by the forwardly projecting arm 26 of an endwise jogging bar 27 journaled eccentrically to the shaft 9 which carries an actuating cr-a1ikplate 28 connected by means of the gyratory connecting rod 29 with the bar 27, as set forth more fully in the patent to Gr. E. hfolyneux, No. 1,127,795, dated February 9, 1915.

Sustained upon the forward face of the bevel-gear 30 fixed upon the main shaft is the feed-actuating eccentric which is embraced by the strap 32 of the pit-man 33 whose opposite end carries a strap 3% embracing the stud 35 upon the rearwardly extending arm 36 of a rocking sleeve 37 fulcrumed by means of the stud-screw 38 upon the bearing lug 39 projecting from the side wall of the base 1 and provided with a lateral arm 10 having a reduced outer portion 41 producing an abrupt shoulder 42 intermediate its ends. The ball 13, slidingly fitted upon the portion 41 of the arm 40, is embraced by the strap e4: upon the rearward end of the feed-bar section 455 in the forked opposite end of which is pivotally secured by means of the screw-pin $6 a tongue 17' formed at the rearward end of the main feed-bar section 48 provided near its forward end with the reduced portion 19 sustaining the feed-dog carrier 50 formed in its upper face with the recess 51 within which is adjustably secured by means of the fastening screw passing through the countersunk slot 53 therein the shank 54 of the feed-dog.

As represented in the drawings, the feeddog is formed with spaced fulLlength outer members 55 and the shorter intermediate member 56. The operative faces of the feeddog members are formed with the usual serrations, those of the outer members 55 being interrupted intermediate the ends by gaps 57 to produce spaced feeding sections 58 and 59, one in advance of the other. Sidewise movement of the feed-clog is pre vented by fitting the carrier-block 50 to the side walls of a longitudinal guide-channel 60 in the forward bearing member of the horn 3.

To the reduced portion s19 of the feedbar section 48 is slidingly fitted a tilting bearing or fulcrum-block 61 formed with lateral bosses 62 which are entered by the fulcrum-screws 63 passing through the opposite members of a yoke 64: embracing said block and formed at the upper end of an upright lifting bar or post 65 formed at its lower end with a sleeve 66 embracing the feed-lifting eccentric 67 upon the reduced portion of the main-shaft 9. The longitudinal reciprocating movement of the feed bar for effecting the advance of the work up the arm of the machine toward the base 1 is produced through its described connections with the feed-actuating eccentric 31,

while the rising and falling movements of the feed-dog are effected by the feed-lifting eccentric 67 through the post 65 and tilting bearing 61 swiveled therein.

The horn 3 is formed in its upper portion rearward of the feed-clog with transverse notches to afford seats in which are secured by means of the fastening screws 68 the opposite extremities of an arched cross-bar 69 provided with the forwardly extending spaced cars 70 to which are pivotally connected by means of the fulcrum screws 71 the rearward extremities of the spaced parallel arms 72 connected together by the cross-plate 73 and provided at their forward ends with the upwardly extending work-stripping blades 74 arranged closely adjacent the inner edges of the feed-clog members 55 and intermediate the latter and the feed-dog member 56. The blades 74 are designed to have rising and falling movements differentially with those of the feed-dog through the feed-dog apertures 75 of the throat-plate 76 secured by the usual fastening screws 77 upon the work supporting horn 3 and provided with the spaced needle-apertures 78 with intermediate worksustaining tongue 79, as represented in Fig. 2.

Slidingly mounted upon the bottom of the guide-channel 60 of the horn 3 with its edges in contact with the side walls thereof is the stripper-lifting plate 80 provided with the spaced posts 81 having at the upper ends the rearwardly projecting lugs 82 with the upper edges rounded or beveled at their rearward extremities. The lower edges of the lugs 82 are adapted to engage the upper face of the feed-dog carrier 50 upon opposite sides of the feed-dog shank 54 in the initial position of the feed-dog preparatory to a longitudinal feeding movement, but to be disengaged therefrom in the advance of the feed-dog carrier; while the upper edges of said lugs, being disposed beneath inwardly extending wings 7 2' of the stripper-arms 72, serve-as supports for the same so as to transmit to the stripper-blades T l the lifting movements imparted to the plate by the feed-dog carrier.

The stripper-lifting plate 80 is formed at one side of its rearward end with the de pending lug 80 carrying the stud-screw 83 which is embraced by the apertured forward end of the link 8% whose opposite end is connected by means of the stud-screw 85 with a crankarm 86 upon the rocking sleeve 87 which is journaled upon the stud-screw 88 mounted in the bearing bracket 89 whose foot is secured by screws 90 to the machine frame (Figs. 2 and The sleeve 87 is formed with a lateral arm 91 to which is connected the rod or cord 92 extending downwardly through and below the base 1 and in practice connected with a treadle or knee-lever by means of which the lifting plate 80 may be shifted longitudinally in opposition to a spring 93 (Figs. 7 and 8) surrounding the sleeve 87 and having one extremity 93 secured in the arm 91 and the other extremity 93" resting against the in ner wall of the base 1.

The rearward end of the forward bearing member 3 of the horn 3 serves as a stop against which the lug S0 rests in the for ward or inoperative position of the lifting plate 80 under the action of the spring 93, but to determine the extreme rearward or operative position of the lifting plate, the sleeve 87 is formed with a lateral lug 94; adapted to' contact with the point of the stop-screw 95 tapped through the slitted arm 96 having a foot 97 secured by means of screws 98 to the base 1. By turning the stop-screw 95, the degree of oscillation of the sleeve 87 may be adjusted and the position of the lifting plate relatively to the range of movement of the feed-dog carrier determined.

When the parts are in the positions represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the lifting plate is in its forward or inoperative position with the lugs 82 beyond the range of movement of the forward end of the carrier 50; but when the treadlerod 92 is drawn down by the operator to shift the lifting plate bacls wardly, the lugs 82 are carried into a position wherein they are engaged by the carrier 50 in its initial rising movement, whereby such lugs are carried into contact with the wings 72 so as to lift the stripping blades 7% with their upper edges slightly above the adjacent serrated faces of the feed-dog members 56 and 59. The strippers 74 remain so elevated during the fulling action and until the forward extremity of the carrier clears the lugs 82, when the lifting plate, and consequently the stripping plates, are permitted to drop under the action of gravity assisted by the flat spring 99 one end of which rests upon the cross-plate 7 3 while the other end is secured by means of the screw 100 to the under side of the coverplate 3 of the horn 3.

The sleeve 87 is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly bent tappetearm 101 normally resting against the forward face of an arm 102 of an angle-lever having a second. rearwardly extending arm 103 whose forked extremity 104 embraces the reduced 9 1 portion 41 of the feedrocker arm d0 intermediate the shoulder 12 and the strap 4% of the feed-bar section d5 which is pressed against the same by means of the spring 105 interposed between said strap and the head of a screw IOG tapped into the end of the member ll. The rocking member 102 103 is fulcrumed upon the pin 107 and between the spaced bearing lugs 108 of a bracketpiece 109 secured by screws 11'0upon the inner wall of the base 1- The feed-actuating eccentric 31 is in practice provided with the usual adjusting means, as shown for instance in the United States Patent No. 1,024,691, of April 30, v1912, to determine the normal stroke of the feed-dog when the ball-.and-socket connection 333% of the feed-bar is in its normal position closest to the fulcrum-pin 38' of the rocker 36 40 under the action of the spring 105, as represented in Fig. 2, in which position of theparts the stripper 72 7 3 7 i is inactive. lVhen the treadle connection v92 is drawn downward to bring the lifting plate into operative relation with the feed-dog carrier, so as to bring the stripper interaction, the turning of the sleeve 87 causes the shifting of the arm 103 inwardly to throw the feed-bar connection farther from the fulcrum .of the feed-rocker 36 i0, thereby increasing the length of the feed-stroke to compensate for the lost motion expended in the fulling movement of the feed-clog while the stripper is operative, and duringwhich time the work is crowded forward into the of the presserfoot 119 which is formed with a rigid operative forward portion 120 con nected with the shank by means of the spaced lateral members 121.

The body 119 of the presscr-foot is formed in its lower face with a transverse recess in which is housed the yielding heel-plate 122 maintained in position by the stud-screw 123 journaled in the part 119 which is formed with a surrounding socket for the pressure spring 12 1 interposed between the bottom of the socket and the plate 122 to maintain the latter in its lower position and the head of the screw 123 seated upon the top of the presser-foot portion 119, as represented in Fig. 5. The needle-apertin'es 125 are formed in the body 119 of the foot immediately in advance of the yielding heel-plate 122 which is disposed directly above the rearward feeding sections 56 and 59 of the feed-dog and the stripper-blades 7%, while the forward presser-foot member 120 is disposed above the feeding sections 58.

In the normal operation of the feeding mechanism, the fabric 722, represented in Fig 5 as comprising two sections having their margins stitched together face-toface and opened out, is interposed between the feeddog and the presser-foot with the depending rib or fin 126 of the latter entering the crease between the two sections, and the entire operative face of the feed dog is caused to repeatedly engage the under face of the work which is pressed upon the same throughout by the sectional presser-foot to advance the fabric to the stitch-forming mechanism in the usual manner. lVhen it is desired to full the work, the rocking of the sleeve 87 acts to shift the lifting plate 80 for throwing the stripper-blades into operative relation with the feed-dog carrier, thereby permitting an initial engagement of the feed-dog sections 58 with a portion of the work to carry the same forward as represented in Fig. 5 while the adjacent portion of the work is clamped between the operative edges of the stripperblades 74 and the yielding heel-plate 122 of the presser-foot where it is held out of operative engagement with the feed-dog sections 56 and 59.

The rocking movement of the sleeve 87 which causes the fulling action of the feeding mechanism simultaneously acts through the rocking member 102 103 to shift the operative connection between the feedbar and the feed-rocker to effect an increase of the feed stroke substantially equi 'alent to the transverse of the feed-dog preparatory to the descent of the s.ripper after each initial fnlling action, thereby insuring a uniform bodily advance movement of the fabric with a cor esponding uniformity in the stitching regardless of the fulling action imposed upon the fabric.

The present improvement is particularly adapted for embodiment in cylinder-bed inachines and others ail'ording little space for the work-advancing mechanism, for the reason that it employs no auxiliary feed-dog, but includes only a single feed-dog of ordinary length with which the turning of corners or traverse of short cmrves is much more practicable than with gathering feed mechanism heretofore devised. its moving parts are small in six and few in number, thereby insuring compactness. The ar rangement of the stop-screw 95 in forwardly inclined posi ion below the opening in the top of the work-snpporting horn 3 which is closed by the notched cover 127 pivoted. at 128 provides easy access for adjustment of the extreme throw of the lifterplate to determine the maximum fulling action between which and noanal feeding action the stripper control is readily effected to vary the fulling action by means of the treadle connection 92.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present improvement provides for felling the work in the feeding operation in a manner never before contemplated, wherein only a single feeding member is employed without resor to subjection of the material to a drag in opposition to the action of such feeding member so as to endanger the injury of fabrics of delicate texture by a tearing action caused by its passage under pressure between relatively moving surfaces. According to the present improvement, that portion of the material which is detained while an adjacent portion is crowded toward the same is merely clamped between laterally stationary parts wherein it is shielded from injurious contact with the adjacent portion of the feeding member, so that the effect upon the surface of the same of the feeding mechanism is practically the same as that of the ordinary feeding mechanism employing a serrated feed-dog. While in. the embodiment herein represented the stripper and feeddog rise simultaneously into engagement with the fabric, the precise time of engagement of these members with the work is obviously immaterial, so long as they assume operative relation to some extent concurrent and the contact of the stripper is not coextensive with that of the feeddog.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the present improvement is susceptible of very material modification in the construction and arrangement of its parts, and that the present invention is not therefore limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed dog, a pressure member opposed thereto, a work-stripper for the feed-dog, an element opposed to and adapted to follow work-engaging movements of said stripper, and means whereby the period of action of the stripper may be varied relatively to the operative movements of the feeddog in the production of consecutive stitches.

2. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, a presser-foot formed in two independently movable sections opposed to different parts of the feeding surface of the feed-dog, a stripper opposed to one of said sections of the presser-foot for shielding the work from engagement with the part of the feed-dog opposed to the same section of the presser-foot, and means for actuating said feed-dog and stripper.

3. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, a presser-foot opposed to said feeddog, a stripper for lifting the work above the operative surface of the feed-dog for a part of the latters length, and means connected with the feed-dog whereby the stripper is disengaged from the work during the operative advance movement of the feed-do 4:. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeddog, a presser-foot opposed to said feeddog, means for imparting to said feed dog lifting and worlnadvancing movements, a

stripper and means connected with and derivlng operative movements from those of the feed-dog whereby the stripper is brought into engagement with the work simultaneously with the feed-dog and is disengaged from the work prior to disengagement of the feed-dog.

In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, actuating means therefor, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the operative surface of the feed-dog, stripper-actuating means acting on the stripper for a shorter period of time than the work-advancing movement of the feed-dog, and a presser-foot opposed to said feed-dog and composed of two independent portions one of which is adapted to yield independently of the other under the action of said stripper.

6. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, actuating means therefor, a presser-foot opposed to the feed-dog, a stripper for holding the work from engagement with the feed-dog, stripper-actuating means, and means whereby the period of action of the stripper may be varied relatively to the operative movements of the feed-dog in the production of consecutive stitches.

7. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, actuating means therefor, a press ser-foot opposed to the feed-dog, a stripper for holding the work from engagement with the feed-dog, stripper-actuating means, and means including an adjustable stop for de termining the period of action of the stripper-actuating means relatively to the operative movements of the feed-dog.

8. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, an element cooperating therewith and fixed in position relative to the direction of feed whereby the work is fulled during its advance, and means for varying the fullness of the Work and simultaneously varying the length of operative moyement of said feeding member while maintaining a substantially uniform stitch length. a

9. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, a work retarding element cooperating therewith and fixed in position relative to the direction of feed whereby the work is fulled during its advance, and controlling means connected with said retarding element and with the feeding member where by variations in the degree of fullness produced in the work are accompanied by corresponding variations in the length of operative movement of said feeding member.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means cotiperating therewith whereby the work is fulled during its advance, and a manually operated controlling member connected with said fulling means and with the feeding member where by variations in the degree of fullness pro duced in the work are accompanied by corresponding variations in the length of operative movement of said feeding member.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, actuating means therefor, and automatically operated. means con nected with and deriving operative move. ments from those of the feeding member for shieldinga portion of the operative surface of said feeding member during a portion of each of the latters operative or work advancing movements.

12. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, actuating means therefor, and means including an automatically operated reciprocating member connected with and deriving operative movements from those of the feeding member for shielding a portion of the operative surface of said feeding member during the initial part of each of the latters operative or wort-ad vancing movements.

13 In a sewing machine,- in combination,

a feeding member,means cooperating therewith whereby the work may be fulled during its advance, and means acting upon the fulling means adjacent the feeding member and fixed against movement in the direction of travel of the work and including a connection leading below the sewing machine whereby said fulling means may be thrown into and out of action while the feeding member continues in operation.

14. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means cooperating therewith whereby the work may be fulled during its advance, actuating means adapted for operative connection with said feeding member whereby the fulling means is caused to perform its normal function, and normally stationary means connected with said actuating means whereby the fulling means may be thrown into and out of action at will without interrupting the operation of said feeding member.

15. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means for imparting thereto feeding and rising and falling movements, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the feeding member, and an actuating connection between said feeding member and stripper operative during a portion only of each cycle of operation of the feeding member.

16. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means for imparting thereto feeding and rising and falling movements, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the feeding member, and a member interposed between the feeding member and stripper and adapted to connect the stripper with the feed ng member in the latters initial rising movement and to permit the disconnection of said parts in the subsequent feeding movement of said feeding member.

17. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means for imparting thereto feeding and rising and falling movements, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the feeding member, a stripper-lifting member capable of movement similarly to the feeding member and carrying an element adapted for engagement with the latter in rising to engage the work, and means for shifting said lifting member within the direction of feed and independently of the feeding member.

18. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, means for imparting thereto feeding and rising and falling movements, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the feeding member, a stripper-lifting member affording a support for the stripper and having a portion adapted for arrangement in overhanging relation with the feeding member, and means for shifting said lifting member into and outof operative relation with said feeding member.

19. In a sewing machine, in combination, a frame comprising a tubular work-supporting arm formed in its outer end with a longitudinal guide-channel, feeding mechanism including a feeding member working in said channel and having rising and falling movements therein, a stripper for shielding the work from a portion of the feeding member, a stripper-lifting member working in said channel intermediate the stripper and feeding member and provided with a shoulder adapted for engagement with a part of said feeding member and for subsequent disengagement therefrom as the latter performs each feeding movement, and means including a connection traversing said work-supporting arm for shifting said lifting member into and out of operative relation with the feeding member.

20. In a sewing machine, in combination, a frame comprising a tubular work-supporting arm, feeding mechanism including a feeding member working in the outer portion of said arm, a work-stripper partially shielding said feeding member from operative contact with the work, means adapted for maintaining a connection between said stripper and the feeding member during a portion only of its operative work-advancing movement, and means including a connection extended through the work supporting arm for throwing said connecting means into and out of operative relation with the feeding member.

21. In a sewing machine, in combination, a frame comprising a tubular work-supporting arm, feeding mechanism including a feeding member working in the outer portion of said arm, a work-stripper partially shielding said feeding member from operative contact with the work, means adapted for mamtaimng said stripper 1n engagement with the work during a part only of the work-advancing movement of the feeding member, and means, including a connection extended through the work-supporting arm and an adjustable stop for limiting the range of action thereof, whereby the duration of the stripper action relative to the work-advancing movement of the feeding member may be varied.

22. In a sewing machine, in combination, a frame comprising a tubular work-supporting arm, feeding mechanism including a feeding member working in the outer portion of said arm, a work-stripper partially shielding said feeding member from operative contact with the work, means adapted for maintaining said stripper in engagement with the work during a part only of the work-advancing movement of the feeding member, and means, including a connection extended through the work-supporting arm and an adjustable stop accessible through said arm for limiting the range of action thereof, whereby the duration of the stripper action relative to the work-advancing movement of the feeding member may be varied.

23. In a sewing machine, in combination, a frame comprising a hollow standard and a tubular work-supporting arm extending therefrom and having in the portion adjacent the standard an opening normally closed by a removable cover, feeding mechanism including a feeding member working in the outer portion of said arm, a workstripper for partially shielding said feeding member from operative contact with the work, operating means adapted for maintaining said stripper in engagement with the work during a part only of the work-advancing movement of the feeding member, means, includin a plural-armed rocker hav ing one arm connected with the stripperoperating means and another arm extended within said hollow standard and having a controlling connection led downwardly beneath the base of said standard, whereby the duration of the stripper action relative to the work-advancing movement of the feedin member may be varied, and an adjustable stop for limiting the range of movement of said rocker and accessible for adjustment through said opening of the worksupporting arm.

24. In a sewing machine, in combination, a feeding member, a work-stripper for partially shielding the same from operative contact with the work and pivotally mounted upon fixed support, avertically and lengthwise movable stripper-lifting mem ber working intermediate said stripper and feeding member and adapted to engage the same and to partake of its vertical movements in one direction, and means for determining the position of said lifting member in the direction of feed for timing the duration of engagement of said parts.

25. In a sewing machlne. 1n comblnatlon, a feeding member, means for imparting thereto feeding and rising and falling movements, a work-stripper for partially shielding the same from operative contact with the work, operating means for imparting to the stripper rising and falling movements differentially from those of the feeding member, controlling means for varying the timing of the stripper movements, and means connected with said controlling means for varying the length of work-advancing movements of the feeding member.

26, In a sewing machine, in combination, a feed-dog, a feed-bar sustaining the same, feed-actuating means including a rocker provided with an arm having a connection with the feed-bar movable toward and from its fulcrum, a work-stripper for partially shielding said feed-dog from operative contact with the work, work-stripper operating means whereby the work may be maintained out of operative contact with said portion of the feed-dog during a part of the latters feeding movement, controlling means for including relatively fixed work-engaging.

portions and having a falling and a feeding or stitcli-lengtl1defining action, and means including a single controlling element for varying the fulling action of said member without changing its stitch-length defining action.

28. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, in combination, a feeding member having relatively fixed work engaging portions, means cooperating with said portions whereby said member is caused to have fulling and stitch-length-defining actions, and means including a single controlling element for varying the fulling action of said member without varying its stitch-lengthdefining action.

29. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, in combination, a feeding member having relatively fixed work-engaging portions, means cooperating with said portions whereby said member is caused to have distinct falling and stitch-length-defining actions occurring at different times during the feeding cycle, and means including a single controlling element for varying the fulling action of said member without varying its stitch-length-defining action.

30. In feeding mechanism for sewing machines, in combination, a feeding member having a. fulling and a feeding action, an element cooperating therewith and fixed in position relative to the direction of feed, said element being adapted. to render a por tion of said. feeding member ineffective and thereby retard the work while another portion of said member effects its fulling action, and automatic means for rendering said element ineffective for a portion of the stroke of said member to permit the latter to feed the work a stitch-length.

31. In feeding mechanism for sewing Inachines, in combination, a feeding member having a falling and a stitch-length-defining action, an element cooperating there with and fixed in position relative to the direction of feed, said element being adapt ed to render a portion of said feeding mem ber ineffective and thereby retard the work while another portion of said member effects its fulling act-ion, means for rendering said In testimony whereof, We have signed our 10 names to this speeifieatlon, 1n the presence of two subserlblng wltnesses.

GEORGE E. MOLYNEUX. GEORGE S. GATCHELL.

ll itnesses HENRY J. MILLER, W. P. STEWART.

element ineffective for a portion of the stroke of said member to permit the latter to effect its feeding action, and means for varying the periocl of inactivity of said element and simultaneously varying the stroke of said feeding member whereby the fulling action ofsairl member may be changed Without varying its stitch-length-clefining action.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

